I have been testing the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16’s 2023 G634 mannequin. Obtainable within the UK for £3,400, and with basically the identical mannequin within the US priced at $2,750, there’s an expectation of zero compromises for a gaming laptop computer containing each Intel and Nvidia’s newest cell choices. Not simply relating to gaming prowess, however the general person expertise. And whereas the RTX 4080 and Core i9 13980HX present a implausible core config for a gaming laptop computer in the present day, there are a few issues holding this highly effective machine again, not least the competitors at that value level.
Earlier than we get into the numbers, the Scar 16 is off to a superb begin with its aesthetic. There’s an industrial aptitude to the design, however not sufficient to make it look too ‘edgy’. It is paying homage to the resurgent retro console pattern, with a delicate translucent plastic strip across the chassis edge and entrance.
It might not have the common-or-garden allure of a Clear Glacier Gameboy Advance, however not less than the delicate RGB strip alongside the back and front edge would not undermine the aesthetic. The sunshine gradates gently by way of the laptop computer’s thickness and provides a delicate glow to the desk round it. The default rainbow ROG emblem on the again is a little bit a lot for me, however that may be simply remedied within the Aura software program.
It has been fascinating to see laptop computer producers packing 16-inch gaming laptops with this era’s highly effective parts. How’s all of it going to suit? I questioned. The reply: It is all about girth, child.
Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (2023) specification
CPU: Intel Core i9 13980HX
Graphics: RTX 4080 (175W)
RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800
Show: 16-inch ROG Nebula HDR, 240Hz, 3ms
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Ports/Connectivity: 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-C for show / energy supply, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-A, 1x 2.5G LAN port, 1x Thunderbolt 4 DisplayPort with G-SYNC
Weight: 2.50kg / 5.51lbs
Dimension: 13.94 x 10.39 x 1.20 inches /35.4 x 26.4 x 3.04 cm
MSRP: £3,300 (opens in new tab) / $2,900 (opens in new tab)
The Scar 16 is thick, and heavy sufficient to make me query the pocket book nomenclature, although it is nowhere close to as dense because the desktop replacements of yesteryear (see the 8lbs Gigabyte Aorus 17X YD (opens in new tab)). Nonetheless, the Scar is thick sufficient that I virtually anticipated to discover a mechanical keyboard underneath the lid.
No such luck, sadly, although the chiclet board has a pleasantly tactile bounce, and n-key rollover for gaming as one would count on. It is not essentially the most satisfying to sort on, however it does the job relating to gaming.
Alongside the thick edges you are taking a look at a few USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-A ports on one aspect, and a pair of USB Kind-C ports on the opposite—one Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort, the opposite for show and/or energy supply to peripherals. There’s an HDMI 2.1 port in addition to 2.5G ethernet port. In different phrases, excessive spec connectivity is not going to be an issue, although some could also be disenchanted on the lack of non-USB Kind-C DisplayPort.
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With the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 packing a 175W RTX 4080 GPU underneath the hood, I seen a number of of the gaming efficiency numbers come near, even blow straight previous, a few of different current-gen laptops we examined, even ones packing the RTX 4090 in its 150W kind. In Cyberpunk 2077 for instance, the Scar 16 manages 57 fps averages at 1080p in opposition to the Asus Zephyrus M16’s 60 fps even in Extremely Ray Tracing mode.
Pitting it in opposition to that very same 150W GPU at 1080p in Hitman 3’s Dubai benchmark, the Scar 16 really surpasses the RTX 4090’s 240 fps common by a whopping 26 fps, albeit with a decrease minimal framerate. That factors to a little bit inconsistency, however quite a lot of potential.
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Context is vital at larger resolutions—although the Lenovo Legion Professional 7i’s panel is 1600p native, it was really examined at 1440p. Which means whereas it appears just like the Scar is falling behind the cheaper machine and its 150W RTX 4080 in a number of benchmarks, the Scar 16 was examined at its native 1600p—that means there’s really not rather a lot in it.
Whereas we’re as regards to the display screen, that 16:10 Nebula display screen is a pleasant ratio if you swap issues up for a piece session, although motion pictures and cutscenes in video games could find yourself sandwiched between black bars, as they are typically designed with the usual 16:9 ratio in thoughts.
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Nonetheless, it provides to the retro really feel, such as you’re gaming on a CRT TV. Not that the tech behind the Nebula is even vaguely corresponding to these previous, flickering beasts.
This Mini-LED panel handles HDR nicely—although this typically is not the case for desktop displays, the smaller panels on laptops imply smaller dimming zones, and in flip the same old points turn out to be much less seen. This panel got here out trying velvety and wealthy with no calibration essential. A cherry atop a positive gaming laptop computer, certainly. And with the form of energy this factor is packing, the monster 240Hz refresh price leaves little legroom for some video games, even in Extremely settings at its native 1660p decision.
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For those who’ve not received your self probably the greatest gaming headsets (opens in new tab), you could possibly do worse than the Scar 16’s audio system, too. They’re a little bit muddy from being packed into suck a good chassis, although typically they’re wealthy and bass-friendly. The 720p webcam handles low gentle nicely and sits in the appropriate place, however it does give me lobster-red flush.
The true star of the present is the Intel Core i9 13980HX. A CPU like this provides the Strix Scar 16 a leg up in opposition to a number of the $4,000 laptops of this era. Positive you are lacking out on a number of the GPU energy, however the Scar would not fiddle relating to dealing with all these physics simulations within the ever destructible environments we’re seeing in video games in the present day.
The Minimal CPU samples per minute in Blender’s Junkyard benchmark exhibits it is received rather a lot to supply recreation artists, too.
It places even the $4,000 Zephyrus M16’s i9 13900H to disgrace relating to video encoding, and though its multi-core efficiency falls behind the $5,300 MSI Titan’s i9 13950HX in rendering benchmarks, it is single-core you are taking a look at for gaming. There the Strix Scar stands with the most effective. You may suppose that slight multithreading miss interprets badly in Blender, however the Minimal CPU samples per minute in Blender’s Junkyard benchmark exhibits it is received rather a lot to supply recreation artists, too.
All that energy in hungriness comes at a value, nevertheless and it signifies that whereas the Strix Scar 16’s hour and twenty minute battery life sits within the center in comparison with different gaming laptops of it is class, it is nonetheless not on the stage we wish from a conveyable machine. It additionally runs a little bit sizzling for my liking. The CPU and GPU hit 105°C and 83°C respectively underneath load, which is hotter than the remaining we examined.
There’s some critical coil whine coming from underneath the hood if you boot up a recreation, too. It is drowned out by the laptop computer’s followers principally, however it may sound fairly regarding for those who’re not used to those sorts of frequent {hardware} noises.
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As for common use, I’ve come up in opposition to a number of points with the Nvidia Optimus tech. Whereas it is possible contributing to a barely extra spectacular battery life, this data-rerouting intermediary can create a bottleneck relating to gaming, and makes switching between packages a lower than seamless expertise. The Scar has additionally been a little bit unresponsive usually when opening some packages, and crashed simply from making an attempt to open PCMark 10 at one level—with no different packages open, apart from Steam operating within the background. And despite the fact that the Scar’s positioned itself properly as a 3D rendering and video encoding machine, the 16GB of dual-channel DDR5-4800 RAM means it could nonetheless battle in opposition to some fashionable use instances.
The Strix Scar’s SSD additionally lags behind the competitors, with the 3DMark storage index rating sitting disappointingly decrease than the cheaper Legion Professional 7i. Pair the 103ns in opposition to the Legion’s speedy 58ns, and FFXIV Endwalker load occasions of 11.236 seconds in opposition to a tasty 9 seconds, and it is clear there’s rather a lot to be desired within the storage division.
Sadly, regardless of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 actually packing a punch with the core spec, the encircling parts let it down. At £3,300 / $2,900 it is price contemplating the Lenovo Legion Professional 7i (opens in new tab) in its place for $150 much less. That method you get a equally highly effective gaming laptop computer, however one which’s higher balanced general, and even comes with 32GB of DDR5-6000 reminiscence in comparison with the Scar 16’s 16GB. It is a fair higher compromise within the UK for £600 much less, and though the battery life is rather less spectacular we’re kind of resigned to protecting gaming laptops chained to the wall socket, at this level.